Kokoro
by KageRaion
Summary: Syo Kurusu, the second S in STARISH has managed to keep his heart condition a secret from the others for a long time. But when it suddenly flares up, the rest of the group learn about the condition that has been with him since he was born. What will happen to him? (Contains some references to my other story Brothers)
1. Chapter 1

"SYO-CHAN IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP"

The loud, happy voice of his roommate made Syo open his eyes slightly and glare at him before pulling the quilt over him some more.

He wasn't feeling that well this morning, his chest was slightly aching and he felt tired.

" _Why now..."_

"Syo-Chan?"

Hearing his name brought his attention back to Natsuki and he saw worry in the older boy's eyes.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm fine. No need to worry, Natsuki"

"Are you sure? If it's your heart then maybe you should..."

"I said I'm fine"

Syo then got up from his bed to get ready for the day. Natsuki watched him walk around the room and he couldn't let go of the feeling that something was wrong.

Once they were ready, they joined the others for breakfast before everyone left for the different jobs they had that day.

Syo had a commercial to film, then an interview with a fashion magazine and then a tv recording with Natsuki and Masato.

 _ **The commercial and interview went well but halfway through the tv recording, Syo noticed that the pain in his chest had gotten worse.**_

" _It's not that much left. I can make it through this"_

He was really determined to get through the recording and he did. But once the three of them got backstage, the pain grew even more and he fell to his knees.

"Syo-chan!"

Natsuki quickly knelt next to his best friend and put his arms around him.

"Is it...?"

Syo nodded as his right hand grabbed his shirt and the other grabbed Natsuki's arm as the older looked up at Masato.

"Masa there's a small emergency kit in my bag. Please give me one of the syringes in it"

Masato walked over to were Natsuki had his things, picked up what he asked for and gave it to him.

"Shinomiya what's going on?"

"I'll explain later"

It was unusual to hear Natsuki so serious but Masato knew better than to push for answers so he knelt down next to his friends.

"Can I help in some way?"

"Role up his sleeve a bit"

Masato nodded before he took Syo's right arm and rolled the sleeve up to his elbow. Natsuki then put the needle into the smaller blond's arm and they two could soon see him relax a bit.

"He needs to see a doctor, things can get bad if he don't"

"I'll ask if anyone can take us to the hospital"

"Thanks Masa"

As Masato walked away, Natsuki lifted Syo so he was leaning against him instead of laying on the floor.

"Easy Syo-chan. Just relax"

The smaller blond did as told and his breathing started to get back to normal.

When Masato came back, he told them that he had managed to get someone from the staff to drive them.

So they got Syo onto Natsuki's back before Masato grabbed all their things and they walked out with the staff member who had offered to drive them.

 _ **It didn't take long to get there and once they had left Syo in the care of the doctor, the two idols sat down to wait.**_

"Should I tell the others what happened, Masato asked"

"That would be good. I need to call Syo-chan's family"

So Masato picked up his phone to text the others in the group while Natsuki walked over to the window, phone by his ear.

" _ **Hello"**_

"Hi Mr Kurusu. It's me"

" _ **Ah Natsuki. Is everything okay?"**_

"Not really"

 **"** _ **Did something happen to Syo?"**_

"He had an attack right after we finished a tv recording. I gave him the medicine from the kit you gave me and then our friend Masato and I took him to the hospital"

" _ **Is he okay?"**_

"We don't know yet. The rest of our group should be here soon and we will stay with Syo as long as we can"

 _ **"I'm glad he has friends like you.**_

 _ **-I'll tell Kaoru what happened and we'll be there later"**_

"Okay. I'll see you when you get here"

" _ **We do, Natsuki"**_

They ended the call and Natsuki sat down again.

 _ **About an hour later, the rest of the group came.**_

"Have you heard anything about his condition, Tokiya asked"

The two shook their heads and the others sighed before they sat down on the couch and chairs in the room.

"Shinomiya, I think it's time you explain things for us, said Masato"

Natsuki looked at his friends and sighed.

"Syo-chan was born with a weak heart and he was only supposed to live until he was 12 years old"

The news seemed to take the group by surprise.

"But he recently turned 21 didn't he, said Cecil"

"Yes...

-You all know how much he looks up to Hyuga-sensei, right?"

The group nodded, remembering their school days when Syo tried to get over his fear of heights just so he could audition for a movie with their teacher.

"It was because of Hyuga-sensei's movies that Syo-chan has survived this long. He saw the movies and wanted to be like Hyuga-sensei. So he decided to become an idol despite his weak heart"

"But this is the first time I've seen him like this, said Masato"

"He has medicine he takes every morning for his condition but I guess that we've been so busy lately that he has forgotten"

"He should put his health before everything else, said Tokiya"

The rest of the group looked at their lead singer.

"I should know since the same thing happened to me back when I was Hayato. I had been working hard both there and with school so I ended up collapsing since I didn't take care of myself properly"

Silence then fell between them as they all sat down to wait for news of Syo's condition.

The door opened a while later and an older man in a suit along with a young man who looked exactly like Syo entered.

"Mr Kurusu, you two got here faster than I thought, said Natsuki"

"I was not that far away from here when I got your call but I had to pick up Kaoru from his school"

Natsuki nodded understanding before looking at the Syo look-alike.

"It's nice to see you again Kaoru-kun"

"It's been a while hasn't it"

Natsuki nodded before turning to the group.

"Everyone, this is Syo's younger twin Kaoru and their father"

"It's nice to finally meet you STARISH, Syo talks highly of you every time I speak with him, said Mr Kurusu"

"Nice to meet you too sir, said all five and bowed"

Mr Kurusu bowed as well before looking at Natsuki.

"Have you heard anything?"

"Not yet"

 _ **Then, the door opened and a doctor came in.**_

"Ah, you must be Mr Kurusu"

"That's me. How's my son?"

"He has to stay here for a few days so we can make sure nothing else happens.

-I also want to talk alone with you"

"Okay"

Syo's father then turned to looked at his youngest son and STARISH.

"Kaoru, why don't you, Natsuki and the others go and see Syo while I talk to the doctor"

"Okay"

The group of teens were led to the right room by a nurse and walked in as quietly as they could.

After a while, Syo opened his eyes and the first person he saw was his younger twin.

"Hi Kaoru"

"How are you Syo-nii?"

"Same as everytime this happens"

The idol then noticed that all six of his band mates were in the room too.

"Good to see you're okay Ochibi-chan"

"Stop calling me that!"

Ren just gave the smallest member of the group his signature smirk.

"Syo-chan why didn't you tell me the truth this morning, Natsuki asked"

"Yeah, if you weren't feeling well, you should have stayed at the dorm to rest, said Cecil"

"He's right, you should put your health before anything else, said Tokiya"

"Yeah, do you know how worried we were when Masa texted us about what happened, said Otoya"

Syo looked at his friends before turning his face away from them to avoid their eyes.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to worry you guys or make you think that I'm weak"

"Why would we think you're weak, said Cecil"

The shorter blond looked up at the prince as he said that.

"Shinomiya told us about your condition and that you were only supposed to live until you were 12, said Masato

-You're 21 now"

"I don't call it weak to live longer than what the doctors have been telling you, said Ren"

"It just shows how strong you really are, said Tokiya"

Syo looked at his friends a bit surprised before smiling. The group smiled back at him.

They all then decided to get back to the master course so they could inform Saotome about what happened.

Otoya, Natsuki and Cecil gave Syo gentle hugs. Masato and Tokiya placed a hand on his shoulder, telling him to rest and get well soon. Ren just ruffled the younger idol's hair.

They all then left the room and walked out to the car waiting for them.

 _ **Once back, they made their way to their manager's office.**_

"President, we need to talk to you, said Tokiya"

"HAI! What can I do for you STARISH?"

"We came to tell you that Kurusu is in the hospital, said Masato"

Hyuga and Ringo who both were in the room looked at the group.

"What happened, Hyuga asked"

Natsuki and Masato explained everything that had happened after their recording.

"I see, said Saotome.

-Do they know how long he'll have to stay there?"

"I believe the doctor said a few days to make sure nothing else happens, said Tokiya"

"My guess is that he also needs to take it easy for some days once he can come back here, said Ren"

"I understand, said Saotome"

The group looked at their manager as he stood up and turned towards the window.

"Did anyone see it happen?"

"Just the people working on the program with us, said Natsuki"

"Good. I'll call them to make sure it doesn't slip out. The last thing we want is the media all over this"

"I don't think Syo wants that either, said Otoya"

Saotome turned around to look at his most successful group.

"I'll make sure no one gets to know about this and take care about Mr Kurusu's scheduel.

-If anyone asks you about him, say that he's away for family reasons"

"Yes sir"

 _ **Next morning.**_

The guys did everything like normal before leaving for work and since they were done first, Ren and Cecil went to see Syo.

"Let's see how Ochibi-chan is feeling today"

"I hope he's feeling better"

They walked down the hall to Syo's room, knocked and when they heard a voice from the room, they walked in.

"Ren, Cecil you're already done with work"

"We just had a few interviews so it didn't take long, said Ren"

"So how are you feeling, Cecil asked"

"Not as bad as yesterday but there's something I have to tell all of you once the others come"

His two band mates looked at him a bit confused before they sat down and talked to him about their day.

 _ **A few hours later, the others arrived.**_

"So what was it that you wanted to tell us, Cecil asked"

Syo sighed and looked at his six friends.

"My father told me yesterday that... I need to have surgery"

"WHAT?!"

"Why do you need surgery, Otoya asked"

"Apparently, my heart got a bit damaged yesterday and they want to either do a transplant or some other surgery depending on the results on some tests they did this morning.

-But no matter which one they do, I won't be able to be a part of the group for at least two months"

The others could all see the frustration in Syo's eyes as he said that.

"Then we'll just have to wait until you're back before scheduling group work, said Tokiya"

"Yeah, if anyone wants to interview us all or anything else, they'll have to wait, said Otoya"

"It's either all of us or no one, said Ren"

"That's right, said Cecil"

Syo looked surprised at his friends who all smiled at him and he knew they meant every word they had said.

"Thanks guys"

"No problem Syo-chan, said Natsuki"

"Now get some rest and we'll be back tomorrow, said Masato

-We have the day off so we'll be here early"

Syo nodded and the group left his room.

 _ **As they walked down the halls on their way to were they were let in, they saw Syo's father talking on his phone.**_

"Wonder who he's talking to, said Cecil"

"Probably Syo-chan's mother, said Natsuki.

-She's working in Europe right now so she can't get here that easily"

The group walked past the hall he was standing in but stayed around the corner to listen at what Mr Kurusu was saying.

"Honey, I know that medical bills aren't cheap but we need to do it for Syo. He still has his whole life in front of him and he has a career now that he loves"

After hearing that, the group quietly walked away and out to the car that waited.

 _ **As soon as they stepped inside the Master Course, a ringtone was heard.**_

It was Ren's phone so he picked it out of his pocket and checked the number.

"It's Sei.

-I'll join you in a while"

"Okay, said Cecil"

After what happened a few months back, the two Jinguji brothers had gotten a better relation to each other and they talked more often.

So Ren walked to his room were he sat down and answered his phone.

"Hello"

" _ **Hi Ren. Am I interrupting something?"**_

"Not at all. The others and I just got back from visiting the hospital"

" _ **Did you visit a fan or something?"**_

"No, we visited ochi... Syo"

" _ **What happened to him?"**_

"Yesterday, he, Masa and Shinomi had just finished a tv recording when he had a heart attack. When the rest of us came, we got to know that he was born with a weak heart"

" _ **It didn't look that way during the time I spent with all of you"**_

"We all said the same thing when we got to know it. But the reason he had the attack was because he has forgotten to take his medicine for a few days"

" _ **So how is he now?"**_

"He needs surgery. We also overheard his father when we were leaving. He was talking to his wife about how much the medical bills are going to cost them to pay despite the their jobs"

" _ **I see"**_

"Is there by any chance something we can do?"

 _"_ _ **I know how important those six are to you Ren and seeing something happen to one of them must be hard.**_

 _(There was a short silence)_

 _ **"So if his father allows it, I'll make sure we pay for those medical bills"**_

 _ **"**_ Thank you Sei"

" _ **No problem. But it's all up to his family if they want us to do it or not"**_

 _ **"**_ I'll ask them when we go over there tomorrow"

" _ **Or maybe I should come over there myself. I am after all the president of our family company"**_

 _ **"**_ Okay then. It's the same hospital you were in after that accident"

 _ **"Okay. I'll send a message when I'm on my way over there. It should be around 13.00 sometime since I have a meeting in the morning"**_

"Right. I'll see you tomorrow then"

" _ **We do"**_

They ended the call and Ren went to join the others who were sitting in one of the living rooms.

"What did your brother want, Tokiya asked"

"Nothing special. He just wanted to make sure we don't overwork ourselves"

The others nodded understanding as the strawberry blond idol sat down


	2. Chapter 2

Despite it being their day off and visiting hours at the hospital didn't start until 11, the guys were up as early as ever.

To kill time, Otoya played a soccer match with Cecil, Natsuki and Ren while Tokiya and Masato were reading.

Once it was around 10.45, they got into the car and made their way to see their friend.

 _ **As they walked down the halls towards Syo's room, they meet Kaoru.**_

"Good morning Kaoru-kun, said Natsuki"

"Morning everyone"

The younger Kurusu twin looked at his brother's six friends or more exactly, the five he didn't know that well.

"Let's see. You're Otoya"

"That's me"

"Syo-nii has told me that you are really good at playing guitar and that you like to play soccer"

"I actually love all sports but soccer is my favorite"

Kaoru nodded before looking at the others again, pointing at the prince of the group.

"I guess you're Cecil"

"Yes"

"Is it true that you are a prince?"

"Yes. I'm the prince of a place called Agnapolis"

The saxophonist of the group then placed an arm around Cecil's shoulders.

"You may be a prince Cesshi but right now, you're one of us"

"I'm guessing that you're Ren then since you called him by a nickname, said Kaoru"

"You're right"

"Then I must ask, why do you call my brother short?"

"It's just something I called him back in school to tease him and I guess it stuck"

"Maybe you should think of a new nickname, said Tokiya"

"Yes, Kurusu may be the shortets out of us but you know that he doesn't like it when you call him that, said Masato"

"You two must be Tokiya and Masato then, said Kaoru

-Syo told me that you two are the most calm in the group"

"Someone has to be around these guys, said Tokiya"

 _ **They all then walked towards their friend's room**_.

"Hey Kaoru-kun, were is your father, Natsuki asked"

"At work. He'll be back around 12.30 to talk with the doctor about Syo's surgery"

They then reached the room and walked in.

"Syo-nii, STARISH is here"

Syo looked up and saw the group come into the room along with his brother.

"You weren't kidding when you said you'll be here early"

The group all smiled at their smallest member before sitting down.

They talked about a lot of different things and it seemed to make Syo happy that his friends acted normal around him despite the situation.

 _ **A few hours later**_ , Ren felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and picked it up to see a message from Seiichirou.

Since the others had their attention on Syo, he quietly slipped out of the room and down to the lobby.

A short while later, he saw his brother come through the doors.

"Over here Sei"

The older Jinguji looked over were he heard Ren's voice before walking over to him.

"Have you been waiting here the whole time?"

"No. I was with the others until I got your message"

"Shall we go then?"

"Yes. His father is talking to the doctor about the surgery so you have a good timing"

So the brothers made their way to the floor were Syo's room was and arrived just as Mr Kurusu and the doctor walked out of a room.

"Mr Kurusu"

"Oh, you're one of Syo's friends"

"Yes. I guess we never were formally introduced when we first meet.

-I'm Ren Jinguji, the R in STARISH"

Mr Kurusu nodded and then looked at Seiichirou.

"And you are?"

"I'm Seiichirou Jinguji, Ren's older brother. I'm also the president of our family company"

"What brings you here then?"

"Ren told me about your son's condition and that he is going to need surgery"

"The others and I also overheard you when you talked to your wife the other day when we were leaving, said Ren"

"If you're okay with it, I'd like to offer that we pay for your son's medical bills"

Mr Kurusu looked at the two brothers in surprise.

"Can I ask why you want to do that?"

"Did your son ever tell you about what happened a few months ago?"

"He told me that the brother to one of his friends lived with them for a month since he was injured and needed someone to keep an eye on him"

"That person was me"

Mr Kurusu looked at Seiichirou as he pulled up the sleeve of his suit to reveal a few scars.

"I was involved in a car accident a few months back and had to take it easy for about a month after leaving the hospital. Instead of going home to have our butler and the other servants keep an eye on me, Ren managed to work things out so I could stay with them.

-During that time, I really got to see how close these seven really are. They are more than just friends and band mates. They're brothers by heart"

"Sei is right. As the oldest of the group, I do see the others as my younger brothers. And just like with my real brothers, I don't want to lose any of them"

Seiichirou pulled down his sleeve before bowing slightly.

"See this offer of mine as a way for me to thank your son for being such a good friend to my brother and the others"

Mr Kurusu looked at the man as he rose from his bow and Ren could see a few tears in his eyes.

"I can't turn down your offer after hearing that"

He then bowed to the two brothers.

"Thank you very much Mr Jinguji"

"It's the least I can do.

-The last thing I want to see is this group falling apart"

As Mr Kurusu got up from his bow, Seiichirou held out his hand which the older man shook.

"And don't tell Syo about this, said Ren

-I don't want him to feel like he owes us anything"

"Of course"

 _ **About a week later.**_

The group was sitting in a private wating room along with Haruka and Tomochika.

It was the day of Syo's surgery which ended up being a heart transplant since they had found a perfect donor

"I hope everything goes well, said Haruka"

"We all do, said Masato"

"I'm still surprised that the president agreed to clear our scheduels for today, said Ren"

"He probably figured that we'd skip work just to be here for Syo if he didn't, said Cecil"

They then picked up some things they had brought.

Masato and Tokiya picked up some books, Otoya picked up a game, Natsuki, Cecil and Ren picked up some music sheets and scripts. Haruka and Tomochika just talked to each other.

 _ **A while later, the door opened and Kaoru came in.**_

"How is everything, Ren asked"

"They began ten minutes ago and it's going to take a few hours before they're done"

Kaoru then sat down next to Natsuki and the group could see worry in his eyes.

The bespectacled member of the group then placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sure Syo-chan will be fine, Kaoru-kun"

"Shinomiya is right, said Masato"

"He is strong and he will fight no matter what, said Cecil"

Kaoru looked at his brother's friends and smiled at them.

Otoya then offered him another game he had brought so he could get his mind on something else and with that, the group occupied themselves with their different things.

Time seemed to pass really slowly as they waited to hear news about Syo and hours later, Mr Kurusu came into the room with a smile on his face.

"Dad, how is Syo-nii?"

"The surgery was a success and his new heart seems to like being inside him. They're gonna keep him here for a few weeks to make sure nothing happens since it takes a while before symptoms of rejection appears"

Tears of joy appeared in Kaoru's eyes and the group all smiled.

"See Kaoru-kun, he's going to be okay"

"You were right Natsuki"

Mr Kurusu smiled at his youngest son and ruffled his hair slightly before looking at STARISH.

"You can all go and see him if you want to.

-I talked with the doctor and he said it was okay"

"Thanks Mr Kurusu, said Otoya"

 _ **The group put the things they had been sitting with in their bags before following Syo's father to the right room in the ICU.**_

They entered as quietly as they could and Kaoru sat down on the chair next to his brother's bed and Natsuki took the chair opposite him. The others made themselves comfortable on the remaining chairs and the couch.

"I'm glad he's going to be okay, said Cecil"

"Me too, said Tomo-chan"

Silence then fell between them as they waited for their friend to wake up.

Nurses and the doctor who performed the surgery drifted in and out of the room every now and then to check on Syo's condition.

What felt like an eternity later, their attention was brought to the smaller blond as a soft groan came from him.

Everyone put down what they were doing and gathered around the bed just as sleepy blue eyes opened.

Kaoru was the first one to react as he carefully wrapped his arms around his older twin.

"You're finally awake, he whispered"

The others could see a soft smile appear on Syo's face as he lifted one of his arms as much as he could to hug his brother back.

"I told you I would fight until the end no matter what"

"And you did"

Kaoru then let go and smiled when his eyes meet his brother's for the first time.

Syo then looked around and saw all of his friends standing there around his bed.

"Hey guys"

"Good to see you're doing well Ochibi-chan"

The blond just gave Ren a slight glare as the saxophonist smirked before gently ruffling his hair.

"I didn't think you guys could make it here"

"We had the president clear our scheduels for today and tomorrow, said Masato"

"He agree to that?"

"Not at first but I guess he figured out that we'd come whether he did it or not, said Tokiya"

"You didn't think we'd let you go through this alone, did you Syo-chan"

Syo looked at his best friend as the older blond gently stroked his hair.

"You're our friend and a part of STARISH, said Cecil"

"If anything happens to one of us, the whole group is involved, said Otoya"

The door then opened and when the group saw that it was the doctor, they stepped aside.

"Ah, good to see you're awake Mr Kurusu.

-How are you feeling?"

"Besides tired, I'm feeling fine"

"That's good"

The doctor wrote something on the clipboard he was holding before looking at the young idol.

"I'm gonna tell you the same thing that I told your father and that is that the surgery was successful. There wasn't any complications and your new heart seems to like being inside you.

-We're going to keep you here for a few weeks just to make sure nothing happens since signs of rejection doesn't appear immediately"

"So I'm better now?"

"Very much so. Once you've been discharged, you'll need to take it easy for about two months to let your body and heart fully heal. But after that, you can go back to your career as an idol"

The others all smiled when they saw how happy Syo got at the news.

"Congratulations Mr Kurusu. You've fought well and beaten the odds that's been against you since you were small"

"Thank you"

The doctor then left the room and Syo received hugs from Natsuki, Haruka and Otoya.

"We're so happy for you Syo-Kun"

"Thanks Nanami"

Masato then checked the time on his phone.

"Visiting hours are soon over"

"We should get going then, said Ren"

The others all nodded and one after another, they walked up to Syo and placed a hand on his shoulder while Natsuki and Haruka hugged him again.

"We'll see you tomorrow, said Tokiya"

"We do, said Syo"

The group then left the room, leaving the Kurusu twins.

"I really like your friends. They're really nice"

"Yeah. I could have asked for a better group of friends"


	3. Chapter 3

_**Four weeks later.**_

Tokiya, Ren and Natsuki stood outside the master course dorms waiting for Ren's driver to pick them up.

Today was the day Syo could leave the hospital and come home.

"That he wanted to come back here rather than go home to his family, said Ren"

"His mother is still working overseas, Kaoru-Kun has school to attend and his father can't take more days off since he used a lot of them when Syo-chan was hospitalized"

"So no one of them is going to have time staying at home to look after him, said Tokiya

-We could at least work things out with the president so one of us is here with him every day until he's fully recovered"

"You're right, said Ren"

His driver then came so they got into the limo and went to the hospital.

 _ **A while later, they were walking through the halls and outside Syo's room, they meet his father.**_

"Hello boys"

"Hi Mr Kurusu"

"The doctor is doing one last check to make sure Syo truly is well enough leave"

"Then we'll just wait out here, said Tokiya"

"Maybe you can tell us if there is something we need to think about while Syo recovers, said Ren"

"Just make sure he doesn't overexert himself for a few weeks. And..."

Right then, the door opened and the doctor came out. He noticed the four of them and smiled.

"I'm glad to say that your son is well enough to go home, Mr Kurusu"

"Thank you Dr Hagakure for everything you've done"

The doctor nodded and shook hand with Mr Kurusu before turning to the three young men.

"You're here to take him home then"

"Yes and Mr Kurusu was just telling us what we need to think about when it comes to Syo's health, said Tokiya"

"Make sure he doesn't overexert himself is what you mostly need to do.

-He can start with light dance practice with you all in about a month and fully go back to practice and work two weeks after that"

"Understoood, said all three"

"Are you boys really okay with this now, Mr Kurusu asked

-I know you have busy schedules to follow with your careers and all"

"We worked things out with the boss the other day, said Ren"

"One of us is going to stay with Syo-chan while the rest do their jobs

-It's going to be a different person every day but in that way, he'll at least have someone to look after him"

Mr Kurusu and Dr Hagakure both nodded understanding.

The trio then walked into Syo's room and the smaller blond smiled at them.

"I thought I heard you guys outside"

"We got some instructions from the doctor on how to take care of you until you can start working again, said Tokiya"

"I still don't like the idea that I can't be on stage or even practice for almost two months"

"Time will go by quickly ochibi-chan. You'll be back with us before you know it"

Syo sighed and nodded, he knew his friends were right.

Natsuki then handed him some clothes that they had brought for him.

"Seeing how we're just going from here to home, I picked out what looked comfortable"

"Thanks Natsuki"

As the younger started to put on the clothes, the other three noticed comic books that none of them remembered getting.

"Who did you get those from, Tokiya asked"

Syo pulled the shirt over his head before looking at what the older pointed at.

"Oh those. Well, one day..."

 _ **Flashback: three weeks earlier.**_

Syo was bored. The others were working and Kaoru was in school so he didn't have anyone to talk to or that much to do.

Then the door opened and the man stepping in was someone Syo didn't expect to see.

"Hyuga-sensei"

"Hey Kurusu. Sorry I haven't stopped by until now"

"It's okay. I know how busy you and Ringo are with your careers as both teachers..."

"Hey Ryuya, move so I can get in!"

" _Tell that's not who I think it is"_

Ryuya stepped aside and into the room came his younger brother, Yamato.

"Why are you here, Syo asked"

"I was walking around on my way here when he suddenly came, said Ryuya

-He asked me what I was doing around here and since I thought you wanted to keep this a secrect, I told him nothing and kept walking but he followed me"

The action star scratched the back of his head before looking at his former student.

"I'm sorry Kurusu. But since he followed me in here, I had to tell him"

"It's okay Hyuga-sensei"

Syo then looked at Yamato.

"So are you gonna tell the others in HEAVENS about me now?"

"No. If I do that, then Eiichi will tell his dad and if that happens, I don't even wanna know what that manager of our will do"

 _ **End Flashback.**_

"Yamato came back a few days later and brought those. He said I looked so bored and since I couldn't really do active things, he got me some comics"

"That's strangely kind of him, said Ren"

The other two nodded in agreement before Natsuki gave Syo one final thing, one of his hats.

They then walked outside were Ren's driver was waiting for them. Ren gave him a few instructions on were to go before they all got into the car.

"Aren't we going back to the master course, Syo asked"

"You and I are going back there but Shinomi and Ichi has work. So we're letting them off on the way"

"I see"

 _ **After leaving Tokiya and Natsuki at their workplaces, Ren and Syo went home to the master course dorms.**_

"Wanna sit outside for a bit Ochibi-chan? I'm guessing you haven't been outside that much the past weeks"

"I was allowed to go out in the garden when I was strong enough to walk. But just about an hour was how long they would let me"

"Go out there then. I'll join you soon"

Syo nodded and walked outside to the backyard. He wanted to just run around but he knew that it wouldn't be good to do that so soon after being discharged from the hospital.

So he just sat down under the shade of a large tree, breathing in the fresh air.

Ren soon came out carrying a tray with something on it. When he put it down, Syo saw some baked things on a plate.

"Masa and Lady made them yesterday for us and we save some for you"

"Thanks"

As Syo took a bit out of one, Ren sat down and leaned back against the tree. He could see how much the younger liked sitting out there by how relaxed he seemed to be.

 _ **A while later, the older of the two stood up.**_

"Let's go inside"

Syo nodded and they walked into the house were they sat down in one of the living rooms.

There, Ren picked up a script that had his name on it from a table.

"What's that for?"

"Do you remember that tv special I did with Kiryuin from HEAVENS?"

"Yeah, the lawyer one. Wind and Fire was the name of it, right?"

"That's the one. The director liked our performance and it got really popular so they decided to make it into a series"

"I see.

-Do you want me to help you?"

"Sure"

Syo took the script and Ren showed him what parts to read.

After practicing the lines for quite a while, Syo put the scrip on the table.

"You've got it all memorized. But I'm not surprised"

"Thanks Ochibi-chan"

"You just need a bit more empathy in certain lines but I'm sure Kiryuin will manage to get the right emotions out of you"

"Maybe so"

Ren then looked over at the clock on the wall.

"The others should start getting back any minute now"

Just as he had said that, the door opened and in came Otoya and Cecil.

"Welcome back Ikki, Cesshi"

"Thanks Ren"

The two then noticed Syo who was sitting on the couch.

"Welcome home Syo, said Cecil"

"Thanks guys. It feels good to be home"

"And we're happy you're back, said Otoya"

They then sat down and the two started to tell Syo about the show they were working on.

 _ **Masato, Tokiya, Natsuki and Haruka came about an hour later.**_

Ren walked up to Tokiya and Masato while Haruka and Natsuki sat down with the other three.

"So what have you two done, Tokiya asked"

"When we got back, we sat down outside for a while since I thought Ochibi-chan would like that. We then went inside and he helped me rehearse some lines for the filming I'm doing with Kiryuin tomorrow"

"I see"

The trio then decided to go make some dinner while the others were occupied with telling Syo what had happened the past weeks while he had been gone.

The three of them made some of Syo's favorite foods as a way to celebrate that he was home.

"Ichi can you tell the others that it's done"

"Sure"

Tokiya walked to the living room they had left the others in and cleared his throat to get their attention.

"Dinner is ready"

"Okay"

Everyone got up and follwed him to the dinning room were Ren and Masato had set up everything.

"Dig in everyone, said Ren"

As they sat down, conversations started with Syo as the main focus. The group was glad that he was back with them and even though he wouldn't be able to perform for almost two months, Syo was happy just to be back with his friends.

 _ **After dinner was over, everyone went to their respective rooms**_.

Syo almost threw himself onto his bed when he and Natsuki entered their room.

"Feels good to be home"

Natsuki smiled at the younger. During the time he had been gone, their room had felt so empty but everything was now as it should be.

He then saw how Syo let out a yawn.

"Tired Syo-chan"

"Just a little"

"Maybe you should get some sleep then since you're still recovering"

"I guess so

-But before that, can you help me with something?"

"What is it?"

Syo held up his left arm were he still had the white plastic bracelet from the hospital.

"Can you help me take this off?"

"Sure"

Natsuki grabbed a scissor and cut the bracelet that landed in Syo's other hand.

"Hopefully this will be the last time I take one of these off"

"I'm sure it will be Syo-chan. After all, you have a strong, new heart now and it won't fail you like your old one"

"You're right"

Syo then got up and changed to his pyjamas before he sat down on his bed again were he looked towards his childhood friend.

"Aren't you going to sleep too?"

"I have a few things to look through before work tomorrow"

"Okay. Don't stay up too long with it"

"I won't. Goodnight Syo-chan"

"G'night"

Syo crawled under the cover and soon, Natsuki could hear soft snores from him.

A while later, he put down his work and changed to his sleep clothes.

Before he got into his own bed, Natsuki walked over to Syo and saw that he had managed to kick the blanket off him.

The taller boy gently pulled it over him again.

"Welcome home Syo-chan, he whispered"

He then walked over to his own bed.


	4. Chapter 4

_**A few days later.**_

Syo was sitting outside the dorms with Cecil. It was the prince's turn to stay with the still recovering idol.

"Hey Cecil. I was wondering, what's Agnapolis like?"

"Well, it's a kingdom out in the desert that worships muses"

"I remember Ai saying that that's why you're afraid of water"

"Maybe..."

Syo chuckled slightly at that.

"You know, I used to be afraid too"

"Of water?"

"No, I was afraid of heights"

"Really?!"

"Yeah. When we were kids, Natsuki used to chase me around because he thought I was cute. One of those chases ended up on top of a tower and I fell off it. But I was lucky that Natsuki caught me in the last moment"

"How did you get over it?"

"I tried to get over it back at Saotome academy so I could audition for a role with Hyuga-sensei. The others were trying to help me but nothing really worked at first but in the end, I got over my fear"

"I would never have guess that you were afraid of heights seeing how easily you went after me into that tree during the exercise we did with Camus before I joined STARISH"

 _ **Suddenly, Otoya came running towards them.**_

"Guys we have a problem!"

"Calm down Otoya, said Syo"

"What happened, Cecil asked"

Otoya took a moment to catch his breath before sitting down.

"The others and I just got back from work and the president came out of nowhere as usual"

"So what's the problem with that, Syo asked"

"You remember that we said we wouldn't do any group interviews or other things like that until you're fully recovered"

"Yeah"

"Well, he has scheduled a tv interview even thought we told him that we won't do those kinds of things without you.

-The others are trying to talk him into rescheduling it for when you can come back"

Cecil and Syo looked at each other before the prince stood up, saying he would go and see if the others needed some help with their manager.

 _ **He came back a while later with the other four.**_

"What happened, Syo asked"

"He said that he's not going to change his mind this time, said Ren"

"This show has been wanting an interview with us for a while and seeing how our popularity has increased since the Triple S, they wanted to do it more than ever, said Tokiya"

"The president accepted it without even thinking about you, said Masato"

"That is a problem, said Syo"

"That's what I told you, said Otoya"

Silence fell between them for a while as they tried to think of a solution.

"I have an idea, said Cecil"

"What is it, Tokiya asked"

"How about we have Syo record some sort of message that they can play during the show"

"NO!"

"Why not?"

"With that we're letting people, including our fans know that he's been away due to his heart surgery, said Ren"

"We agree to avoid having media hear that, said Otoya"

"Oh, you're right, said Cecil

-Sorry"

"No, it's a good idea, said Syo"

The others looked at him in surprise.

"You sure about that, Natsuki asked"

"Yeah, they will find out sooner or later. Besides, our fans deserves to know were I've been the past months"

They were a bit surprised to hear that but the group soon nodded understanding.

"If you're okay with it, then let's ask the president for the details, said Masato"

Loud laughing was then heard echoing around them.

"Not again, Tokiya sighed"

Out of nowhere came Saotome and landed a bit from the group.

"I see you've found a solution"

"We have, said Ren"

"Good. Then I should tell you that the show wants a performance from you as well"

"What?!"

"President, all our songs are for the seven of us, said Masato"

"We can't do any of them without Syo, said Otoya"

"There is one song you can do, said Saotome"

The guys looked at their manager and tried to think of what song he meant"

"Maji Love 1000%, said Natsuki"

"That's the one Mister Shinomiya"

"I forgot that that song was written back when we were just six members, said Tokiya"

"Cesshi can take Ochibi-chan's part then, said Ren"

"In that case we better start practicing since it's been a while since we last did that song, said Tokiya"

"Cecil also needs to learn the right dance moves, said Otoya"

 _ **So they all walked inside and while the others changed to better clothes, Syo sat down in the room they usually practiced their choreography and waited for the others.**_

" _It doesn't hurt me to watch them or give Cecil advice on the dance"_

The others soon came and Tokiya handed a CD to Syo.

"I thought you may wanna help somehow. So can you be in charge of the music?"

"Sure"

Syo took the CD and placed it in the player.

"Ready?"

The others got into position before nodding and Syo started the music.

He watched them and restarted different parts of the song over and over so Cecil could practice his part.

But after a while, he paused after seeing the prince fail for the fifth time with a certain part.

"Did I do something wrong again?"

"Yes you did, said Syo"

He got up and walked over to them.

"This part is pretty important for you to get right since you and Natsuki are in the spotlight"

"Ochibi-chan is right"

Syo sighed before looking at his best friend.

"Natsuki do you remember how we practiced that part?"

"Didn't we just stand opposite each other as we learned it since our moves are mirrored"

"That's right. You and Cecil will have do the same"

"Good idea Syo, said Tokiya"

"Aijima stand face to face with Shinomiya, said Masato"

Cecil did as told and stood so he faced the tall blond.

"Now Cesshi, mimic the way Shinomi is dancing"

"Okay"

Syo then went back to the CD player and started the music on the right part.

They all then watched how Natsuki started to dance and Cecil managed to follow him quite well.

 _ **They practiced whenever they had the chance and the day for the interview soon came.**_

The guys were getting ready to leave when the door opened and four familiar faces came in.

"Thanks for coming Kotobuki-san"

"No problem Tokki"

"I'm sure Syo-chan will appreciate some company, said Natsuki"

"Speaking of Syo, were is he, Ai asked"

"He's in the living room, said Ren"

"Haruka gave him a song she had written for him and he's working on the lyrics, said Cecil"

Their four seniors nodded understanding.

"Well, we better get going so we won't be late, said Masato"

"We'll see you guys when we get back, said Otoya"

"We do Otoyan, said Reiji"

STARISH then left and QUARTET NIGHT walked to the room Syo was in.

He was strethed out on the couch, papers spread over the table and one of his ever present fedoras laid next to them.

"Hello Syo, said Ranmaru"

The blond sat up and looked at the four.

"QUARTET NIGHT, what are you here?"

"STARISH asked us to come and keep you company, said Ai"

"So here we are, said Reiji with a cheerful but loud tone"

"Quiet down Kotobuki, you fool, said Camus"

"But Myuu-chan..."

The count just sighed at his band mate.

"So how are you, Ranmaru asked

-The others told us a while back what had happened to you and it sounded serious"

"I'm still recovering but I've been feeling much better for a few weeks now"

"That's good to hear, said Reiji

-You'll be back with STARISH in no time"

"Yeah"

Reiji and Ai then sat down next to Syo on the couch while Camus and Ranmaru took the armchairs.

Ai then reached out to pick up one of the papers.

"Ai-Ai, you better ask if it's okay for you to have a look at those"

"Why wouldn't it?"

"Reiji is actually right for once, said Ranmaru

-What if he doesn't want you to look at that"

Ai just looked at the silver-haired rocker before turning to his junior.

"Is it okay?"

"Go ahead Ai-senpai"

Ai picked up the papers and read the text on it.

"These aren't that bad. A few things here and there could use some alteration but I don't see much wrong with it"

"Really?"

"Yes"

Syo looked at his senior and smiled

"Thank Ai-senpai"

Ai nodded before placing the papers in a near pile on the table.

"When does the interview start, Ranmaru asked"

The others looked at him before Syo picked up his phone to check the time.

"In about ten minutes"

Reiji picked up the remote and put on the right channel so they could see the whole thing.

They talked a bit about the current jobs QUARTET NIGHT had since Syo was curious and when they heard the host on the TV say STARISH's name, they turned their attention to the show.

 _ **Tv show.**_

"Welcome STARISH"

"Thank you very much"

The guys took their seats and the host looked at them.

"I see now that you are missing a member"

"Yes, Kurusu is back home, said Masato"

"Is it due to those family reasons all of you has said he's been away for?"

"No, it's not family related, said Natsuki"

"We've actually been telling you that on our manager's orders, said Ren"

"His reasons for being away for these months is completely different, said Cecil"

"He actually recorded a message for us to show, said Otoya"

"Ah yes, you had a disk with you that you asked us to play, said the host

-Shall we do it now?"

"Whatever works best for you, said Tokiya"

"Let's play it then"

They turned their heads towards a big screen in the studio were Syo's face appeared.

 **"Hello everyone. I'm sorry I can't be there with the others but I have my reasons...medical reasons"**

He opened his shirt to reveal the scar on his chest.

" **I was born with a weak heart and right after I had filmed the last show you saw me in, I had a heart attack and due to the damage it did on my heart, I was told that I had to go through surgery.**

 **-Over a month ago, I went through a heart transplant and everything has gone well since then"**

After closing his shirt, Syo tipped his hat upwards.

" **I'm still recovering from the surgery and that's why I couldn't be there with the rest of STARISH. But I can assure you that in about two monts time, I will be back with them, singing, doing interviews and everything else I've done before this happened.**

 **-So to all our fans out there wanting to see me again, I'll be seeing you all once I've fully recovered. So don't you worry about me"**

The video ended with Syo holding out his fist to the camera with a smile on his face.

QUARTET NIGHT all looked at Syo and small smiles appeared on their faces along with a large grin from Reiji.

Ranmaru then got up and stood behind the couch before reaching down to ruffle Syo's hair.

"Good job"

"Kurosaki is right, said Camus.

-That message told everything that has happened to you in a reassuring way and you didn't leave out any information"

"As expected from Ai-Ai's junior"

"Thanks guys"

 _ **STARISH returned about an hour later and found their seniors giving Syo a few tips on his lyrics.**_

"We're back, said Otoya"

All five turned their heads towards them.

"Hey, welcome back, said Ranmaru"

"Thank you Kurosaki-san, said Masato"

"Well, now when you're back, we can leave, said Camus"

"Myuu-chan we don't have any time to match so we can stay with our juniors for a while"

"We actually got some sweets on the way home, said Cecil"

"See it as a repayment for keeping Ochibi-chan company"

The count looked the younger idols before sitting down again.

So once STARISH had changed to more comfortable clothes, they sat down with their seniors, eating the sweets they had bought and talking about different things.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Weeks passed and soon, it had been two months since Syo came home.**_

 _ **A few days later he had begun with some light dance practice and workouts in the training room of the dorms.**_

 _ **Today was his final checkup.**_

Syo and Masato were sitting in a car on their way home. The pianist had come with the younger since he was free that day.

"Oh man, I can't wait to fully get back to everything, said Syo"

"I'm glad to hear you're so enthusiastic about it"

"Of course I am. Starting tomorrow, I can start doing interviews, practice choreography and song with you guys, everything I've been missing out on"

"Let's just hope the president doesn't scheduel too much work for you too soon"

"Don't worry. He asked me this morning how much I want to do and I told him to start with a few interviews these first days before scheduling me for filming stuff"

Masato nodded understanding.

When they got home, they found Natsuki and Otoya out in the garden.

"So what did they say, Natsuki asked"

"I'm fully recovered and starting tomorrow, I can get back to work"

"That's awesome Syo, said Otoya"

"Yeah. It feels great to know that I don't have to stay in a bed or here at the dorms being bored anymore"

The blond and red-haired idols laughed slightly.

The group knew how much Syo loved to be active. It was in his nature to always be up and moving so they were happy that he could go back to do everything he loves.

 _ **It didn't surprise any of them that Saotome appeared the next morning after they had finished breakfast to give Syo his scheduel.**_

"I kept it at three interviews a day for the next two weeks.

-After that, you and I can start talking about letting people know you can start filming movies or tv shows"

"Thanks a lot president"

"My pleasure Mister Kurusu"

Their manager then left in one of his weird ways.

Once he was gone, Syo looked over the scheduel.

"So what does it say, Cecil asked"

"It's interviews with the magazines I was supposed to do before I got hospitalized"

Tokiya who was sitting next to Syo looked at the papers and noticed something.

"Looks like the first one you have today is one with the rest of us"

"That's a great way to show that you're back with us, said Otoya"

"Our first interview together as a whole group again, said Cecil"

"I guess you'll get a bunch of questions about your wellbeing, said Ren"

"I know you don't like it when people ask you that too much Syo-chan. So are you okay with that?"

"Don't worry Natsuki. I can handle it"

 _ **Two hours later, they stepped out of the car and into the building were the interview was going to take place.**_

As they walked to the right room, the heard the sound of running.

"KURUSU!"

Everyone turned around and saw that it was Yamato who was running towards them.

They all stepped aside so he ran past them before he stopped and turned to face them.

"I see you're back now, Kurusu. So I guess that means you've fully recovered"

"You bet I have"

"Good. That means we can have a rematch for what happened as Muscle Fight"

"Not here Yamato"

Everyone turned to see were the voice came from and saw the rest of HEAVENS standing there behind them.

"I wondered what Yamato spotted to make him run like that, said Eiichi"

"He was just happy to see a rival, said Nagi"

"Why are all of you here, Ren asked"

"We just finished an interview, said Van"

"I guess you're all here for the same reason, said Shion"

"That's right, said Cecil"

"Then we won't keep you here any longer, said Kira"

"Let's go Yamato, said Eiichi"

"Yeah, yeah. But I'm serious about that rematch"

"Don't worry. One day, we'll have a match, said Syo"

Yamato smirked and held out his fist.

"Is that a promise?"

"Of course"

Syo bumped his own fist against Yamato's before he walked over to his group who started to leave.

"Welcome back by the way Kurusu-san, Eiji called after them"

"Thank you"

 _ **STARISH was then led into the room were the interview was going to take place.**_

"First of all, I'd like to say welcome back Kurusu-san"

"Thank you very much. I'm happy to be back were I belong. With my friends, doing what I love"

"Speaking of doing what you love. Now when your group is back to having all members, is there anything your fans can look forward to?"

"There is one thing, said Tokiya"

"Now when Kurusu is back with us, our manager is planning for a music video to be filmed, said Masato"

"It will be for our new song called Shining Romance, said Otoya"

"Do you know when the filming of this will begin, the interviewer asked"

"The planning began a few days ago and everything should be ready to start in about a week, said Ren"

"Your fans really have something to look forward too then"

"They do, said Cecil"

"The song is really good and I'm sure our fans will love it, said Natsuki"

 _ **The interview finished an hour later and the guys split up since they had work on different places.**_

 _ **Syo's other two interviews he had that day went very well. They of course asked him about his health and he answered that he was back to 100% and redy to return to work.**_

A few days later, the group was called to Saotome's office.

"Now when Mister Kurusu has been back for a few days I've scheduled the shooting for your music video of... SHINING ROMANCE!"

The guys looked at their manager before Otoya and Syo cheered in excitement.

"When do we start, Tokiya asked"

"Next week. Until then I have booked in rehearsals for the song and dance that will be in the video as well as trying on your outfits"

"Yes sir"

The group was then dismissed.

"Oh man, I'm getting excited for this, said Syo"

The others smiled at the excitement from their smallest member. They were happy he was back to his normal self.

"I'm actually looking forward to this as well, said Otoya"

"It's going to be our first big job as a group in a long time, said Ren"

"Yes, STARISH is officialy back as a whole group, said Cecil"

"Aijima, you make it sound like we split up and just recently got back together, said Tokiya"

The others couldn't help but laugh at that as they walked out of the agency and back to the dorms.

 _ **The next morning.**_

Once they had gotten ready for the day, the guys meet up with Ringo to have a look at the outfits for the music video.

"Ohayo-puu"

"Good morning Ringo-Sensei"

"All your outfits are right here so try them on and tell me if anything needs to change"

They walked over to a table were their outfits were neatly folded. Each of them picked up thers and walked away to put them on.

"So how does it feel, Ringo asked when they came back"

"I can't see any problem, said Tokiya"

"Me either, said Masato"

Their outfits all had black pants and white shirts but it was what they wore over the shirts that was different for each outfit.

 **Cecil** had a green tie with white dots and a grey cardigan with two white lines around the sleeves.

 **Otoya** had a black tie with red diagonal lines on it and a grey jacket with red at the top part of the collar.

 **Tokiya** also had a grey jacket but with purple at the collar. His tie was purple with black and white diagonal lines on it and he wore a grey closed vest.

 **Syo** had what looked like a knitted vest and a grey tie with pink stripes. He also had a black fedora with a pink and white band around it as well as a black bracelet with stars on it.

 **Ren** wore a grey vest with orange at the top at the top of the collar and a dark blue tie with orange and white stripes. He had the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to his elbows.

 **Natsuki** had a knitted vest like Syo under a grey jacket with yellow on the collar and a yellow tie with black and white stripes.

 **Masato** wore a vest like Ren with blue at the collar and he work a dark blue tie with light blue stripes.

Each of them also had sneakers, a star shaped medallion hanging from their jackets and a piece of fabric hanging from their pants. Everything in their theme colors.

"You all look great"

"Thank you Tsukimiya-sensei, said Masato"

"These outfits are really nice, said Otoya"

"I'm glad you like them and that everything fits, said Ringo"

He smiled at the group who all smiled back.

 _ **The upcoming days, the guys practiced the choreography for the video and soon, the day came to start filming.**_

"Look at this place, said Cecil"

The place were the video was going to be filmed was a plaza with seven different stores.

"As, good morning STARISH"

"Morning!"

"What do you want us to start with, Tokiya asked"

"We'd like to start with the part were you dance together here at the plaza, said the director"

"Okay"

So the guys lined up the way they had practiced and filming began.

 _ **As days passed and they worked on the video, the others could see a joy in Syo unlike any other. They all knew it was because he was back doing what he loved and his health was nothing to worry about now.**_

 _ **He could sing and dance without worrying about collapsing or having an attack and the group couldn't have asked for anything better for their smallest member.**_


End file.
